3.73's to 4.10 possibly 4.30...is that too much gear for a 5.0L?

[Highbredcloud]

Hey guys...currently I have 3.73's in my car...the car is a 91 GT 5 speed vert...the following mods are done:

GT-40X heads
GT-40 intake
FTI cam

rest of the bolt ons...I want to swithch gears from 3.73 to 4.10 or even a 4.30...would 4.30 be too much for a 5.0L? Would I run out of gear by the end of the 1320? with 3.73 I cross the 1/4mile at around 5400RPM...I really want to try out 4.30...I know I will need suspension to keep the tires on the ground...anyone have any input on this...? The car will not see much highway use...mostly on the street and occasional strip...Pretty much I think it would be a waste if I went from 3.73 to 4.10...I like the idea of 4.30 but not sure how that will mix with the 5.0L...many people running 4.30 with the 4.6 but that's a different animal...input would be appriciated...

thanks

-Greg

 

[UncleLog]

I'll keep this brief....no.

 

[giddyup306]

The only thing you have to worrie about is shifting more in street driving and lost fuel economy.

 

[89MustangGX]

You may end up needing to run a 28" tire for gearing, but the benefits are definitely there.

 

[axeman]

where do you make peak power at? sounds like you want to raise the trap rpm's? i think you would benefit running a 4.10 gear. pretty sure you would run out of gear with the 4.30's. i don't have a problem running 4.30 because i don't have as much power as you do. with my 27" et streets, i cross the line ~5500-5600 rpm/103mph according to the factory tach.

 

[NC85]

Get em. I went from 3.73 to 4.30 in my AFR/FTI/BIGS 306 and loved every minute of it.

Currently running 4.30s in my daily driver.

Hoping to get similar times like Axeman on stock stuff. Good times btw!

 

[raph130]

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[dstanggt50]

I've never owned a set of 4.30's, but had 3.73 and 4.10's, but I think if you have a cam , and your peak power comes higher than the 5400 rpms, you would be faster in the 1/4, may just lose a little mpg on the street. I have 4.10's in my daily driver right now, not that bad.

 

[raph130]

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[5spd GT]

you dont lose it on the street. with 3.73's or better you now have the ability to be in higher gears without lugging the engine and your rpms are much lower. highway is the only issue. but hey, if your gonna worry about gas mileage you can always get a slow honda.

There is a difference between "worrying about gas mileage" and trying to get the best that you an with what you got...I would rather my car get 25mpg than 3mpg...no matter if it is a mustang or not...

There comes a point on gears (4:30's) that around town driving suffers...a 355 or 373 gearing is almost allaround perfect...any above that and you start getting more wear on the engine (higher revs more of the time) and gas mileage begins to decrease...

Go with 410's and get the mixed best of both worlds...quicker (than 373's w/ your mods) and better wear and mileage than 4:30's...

I myself believe 373's or 355's are the best overall gear for a daily driver that goes to the track couple times a month...

 

[fost9508]

BAHHH!!!

Stop confusing me......All this talk about gears is driving me nuts!!! I have an 88 GT stock (future mods...exhaust, mass air convert, new intake, maybe heads and cam), and was originally set on getting 3.73 since it is a daily driver, but now after reading through this thread, maybe 4.10 would be fun

LOL

Thanks.....

 

[PhLoBuS]

I have 4.10s and love them... I dont think I would go any higher or lower

 

[dstanggt50]

you dont lose it on the street. with 3.73's or better you now have the ability to be in higher gears without lugging the engine and your rpms are much lower. highway is the only issue. but hey, if your gonna worry about gas mileage you can always get a slow honda.

I would agree w/the highway losing most of the mpg, around town don't know, but when I said street, ment both highway and around town.

 

[5spd GT]

BAHHH!!!

Stop confusing me......All this talk about gears is driving me nuts!!! I have an 88 GT stock (future mods...exhaust, mass air convert, new intake, maybe heads and cam), and was originally set on getting 3.73 since it is a daily driver, but now after reading through this thread, maybe 4.10 would be fun

LOL

Thanks.....

I know myself that I wouldn't go any steeper than 373's...I have other things to spend my money on...so I'm keeping them and never once have thought about getting steeper gears...literally...

Right now I have gotten 230 miles with a 1/4 tank left...not bad with the gears and my mods...

 

[90mustangGT]

I am considering a steeper gear than the 3.73's I have now. I want to get some 28" tall tires in the back and my 3.73's would then act like GM 3.42's, which would hurt off the line. 4.10 would equal about the same as 3.73's with the current size tire but I pretty much only run the 1/8th, and I am in that spot between the 3-4 shift when I cross the traps. I nailed the rev limiter as I went through when I trapped 85mph once. I think that more gear put me in a better spot, and 4.30 would be a mean gear.

One thing about a lower gear is that you won't spend as much time in the lower rpm's which usually is a problem with a cam.

 

[bluevenom867]

I went from 3:73 to 4:10 on my old 86' GTcombo but I was running nitrous.With the 5speed and the 4:10 the rpm's came up SOO fast, you better have a good shifter.If your N/A right now you will like the 4:10/4:30 better, but there is a bigger differance than you might think between the 3:73 and 4:10 gear, trust me know
So choose wisly, especialy if it's a street car/daily driver type.

 

[Jo_885o]

I myself like 3:73's more than 4:10's b/c this is my daily dog for right now. Seeing as though i'm going f/i (in about a year) i dont need a steep gear. Why do it twice.

 

[90mustangGT]

A big misconception about forced induction engines and gears is that people think that a steep gear is bad, quite the oppisite. Maby with a roots or twin screw supercharger it wouldn't matter but with centerfugal or turbos a steeper gear you will get into the boost easier faster. The gear becomes too steep when your running out of gear at the end of the track or your planning on higher speed racing. Idealistically for a serious racer at the track, you want to be at peak HP in 4th gear as you cross the trapps.

 

[5spd GT]

The gear becomes too steep when your running out of gear at the end of the track or your planning on higher speed racing.

And there is the conception...

That is why people say it is to much gear which is very true and also traction becomes harder to come by without some pretty serious upgrading...can you imagine h/c/i w/ supercharger and 410's in 1st gear...lol...

 

[Bill88Stang]

go 4.30's i had 3.73's and 4.10 when i had my 302. ive gone to a 351 and even went up to 4.30's and its alot of fun. i dont really evern notice a diff in shifting driving arodun town. althoguh gas mileage? i cant give good advice on this one my 351 is a gas hog even drving slow lol but i woudlnt go wiht any other gear . btw i run a 2756015 tire all the time which is about a 28"